Midterm
“Take Home” Essay Assignment
Principles of Sociology M. Ferlise
Soc101 Fall 2020
Your midterm is a take-home essay exam. You have one full week to complete it. You must hand it
in during the following class. Your midterm essay should be a two page critical review of only one of
the following articles:
1. “But What Do You Mean, Women and Men in Conversation,” by Deborah Tannen
2. “Eating Your Friends is the Hardest, The Survivors of the F227,” by James Henslin
Please follow these directions carefully:
1. Choose either the Henslin or Tannen article (above) and read it carefully.
2. On your first page provide an accurate and faithful review (i.e., summary) of the article you
have selected. Do this in the same manner that you have done with your previous reviews. On
the left hand side of your paper, before your first sentence, type “REVIEW.” (Please see the
example for this provided on the next page).
3. For the second page offer a critical evaluation of the methodological problems in the
author’s research and discussion. In other words, critically evaluate the way the author
conducted his or her research. Specifically, indicate its weaknesses and how that affects the
author’s thesis or theory. On the left hand side of your paper, before your first sentence, type
“CRITIQUE.” (See the example on page 2 below.)
a. Focus exclusively on methodological problems and the validity of the study.
i. Ask yourself if there are problems with how the author 1) defines his or her
topic and issue, 2) gathered the information and 3) interprets the meaning of
that data in his or her article.
ii. Consider what methods the author used for gathering the data and how well
or how poorly the author uses those methods. Also, consider the advantages
and disadvantages of the methods he or she uses for gathering information?
iii. Show how the methodological problems you point out affects the validity of
the study or the author’s theory or thesis (i.e., what the author claims to be
true).
iv. Be clear and systematic in your discussion.
Please note:
Your papers must be typed (Times New Roman, size 12 font), double spaced, with standard margins
and stapled. State your name and the name of the author and title of the article you will be discussing.
Below is an abbreviated sample of how you should format your paper.
Menendez, Christina
Soc101-09 / Spring 2020
Midterm
Critical Review of “But What do You Mean,” By Deborah Tannen
REVIEW
In her article “But What do You Mean,” Deborah Tannen discusses the different ways……………
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1
(Menendez/Soc101-09/Spring 2020)
CRITIQUE
One of the methodological problems we encounter in Tannen‟s study involves the way she ………..
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